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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. object — to protest
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. craft — boats
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. object — an aim
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. present — a gift
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. scale — size or range
  18. present — the time now
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. scale — in music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. present — there
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com